We got the opportunity to interview with the leading entrepreneur from Iraq Maziar Rajabi. A man who has passed many hurdles in life with a smile. Conversation follows:
Can you please introduce yourself, your business, and a bit about what you do and the growth?
Maziar Rajabi: I am 33 years old, born in Divandareh City, which is a Kurdistan Province of Iran, roughly 50,000 people living there. When I was growing up, Our part was called East Kurdistan by the Kurds generally in the region. I got an opportunity to study abroad for my postgraduate degree after two universities in Sweden and Malaysia accepted my application. During my study, I was invited to take up a position as a senior partner at a leading Canadian company, Canadian Green Solutions Inc, by my cousin. I love to discover new things, and this habit helps me move to Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.  Online classes were a great learning experience, and the fruits of my work came ten years later after I became a shareholder of one of the most prominent Italian companies, Mattioli S.A.S.  I have managed to achieve numerous certificates from leading universities in the world like MIT, where I got a Disciplined Entrepreneurship. I also have a Global Diplomacy Program certificate from the London University and an International Project Management certificate from Adelaide University. I first started as a marketing sales manager before advancing to an IT manager. Soon I was a Senior Partner for International Business Advisory for foreign companies in Iraq.
Let's go back to the early days of your business, what motivated you to start it? 

Maziar Rajabi: Ever since I was young, I have always believed in the growth potential of my hometown, Kurdistan region. Having an abundance of natural resources that could enable the growth of the manufacturing industry was among the advantages Kurdistan held over its neighbours. The region also has a visionary federal government that has gone to great lengths to make the region a hub for investments. Drawing inspiration from a quote I learned at a young age, "It doesn't matter if it takes time it's important you chose a right path toward the goal," there was no looking back.

 What were the most significant cultural challenges you faced when first starting out?
 Maziar Rajabi: My biggest challenge was getting my business up and running. I used to do lots of research to find out the ways to grow my business.
Why do you think this was the case? Please share a bit more about each one and the reasons behind it. 
Maziar Rajabi: Starting a business in a new region requires a significant amount of research to figure out business opportunities. The company had to make money, and so we had to come up with ways to appeal to a broader customer base.  Another challenge was the constant rise in insecurity in the region. This made conducting business even harder, and it scared away potential investors. Some didn't want to take part as they saw it be too risky.
What did you do to overcome some of these challenges? 
Maziar Rajabi: Our numerous researches had paid off. From the data, we were able to appeal to the local community in a more friendly manner, and they too became our loyal customers. The business expanded rapidly into success.
What advice will you give to young ones facing challenges to overcome cultural differences, prejudices, and trials?
Maziar Rajabi: It is vital to understand the people, to overcome cultural differences. Once the locals see you are making this effort, they will accept you even faster.
Where there any particular moments that stood out as tough when growing your business? How did you overcome it? 
Maziar Rajabi: One of the toughest periods for my business was in 2014. At that time ISIS in the region was at the peak and had even reached 30%.
Oil prices were down, and business partners shifted to Canada. Our business was sinking. But I was sure that thing would become routine, I didn't lose hope.
Soon luck changed as I got an unexpected call from a European firm that was looking for a remote consultant on the Kurdistan region. This was after a friend put in the right word for me, and after conducting a Skype interview, I was awarded the position on profit-sharing terms.
 Do you have any other comments you'd like to share about cultural differences and advice here? The more info, the merrier.
Cultural differences are part of our everyday lives, with every community having their way of life. It is always essential to understand this and respect cultural diversity.